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Mobile for Retail : Going Mobile

More retailers are embracing mobile commerce and marketing. Here’s why you should take the plunge

May 2010 By Det Ansinn
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4 Mobile Best Practices for Retailers

1. Consider multiple platforms. There are approximately 20,000 cell phone models, and new ones are introduced every day by the big — and not so big — industry players. Unfortunately for retailers, an application created for one model won’t necessarily translate to others. A website created for a BlackBerry may not appear the same on an iPhone or Droid.

2. Create content that’s appropriate for the medium. A mobile phone is just a little screen. Trying to move computer images to it can result in a difficult-to-read and impossible-to-navigate site. The time you have to capture the attention of your prospects and customers is short — very short. Having said that, maintaining consistency around your brand is of utmost importance.

3. Carry over your login process. If there’s a login process on your website, try to carry it over to your mobile site. Allowing people to use the same log-in is a plus.

4. Keep privacy a top priority. Privacy is perhaps more important in the mobile sphere than anywhere else in cyberspace. Follow the same stringent policies you already should be using on your website.


Will 2010 finally be the year of mobile commerce? While mobile has been the "next big thing" for at least the last five years, 2010 may actually be a banner year for the platform. Smartphone and iPhone usage has soared, and even older adults use phones to check the stock market, find the best deals at the grocery store and price insurance policies.

Smart retailers are taking notice and creating mobile applications and websites to meet the needs of increasingly savvy consumers. J.C. Penney, Domino's and Starbucks, for example, are in the thick of it, testing programs such as mobile coupons, messaging, purchasing and payment.

Mobile Coupons
A recent Deloitte survey found that 57 percent of consumers are interested in receiving coupons on their phones. What's more, redemption rates are 10 percent to 20 percent and higher. That's a far cry from traditional paper coupons, which average less than 1 percent.

J.C. Penney is one retailer interested in mobile coupons. Last fall, in an effort to retain existing customers, build brand awareness and acquire new customers, the cross-channel retailer began testing a service whereby consumers could download and carry coupons on their mobile phones to be scanned directly from the phones' screens at registers. Scanners able to read these 2-D barcode coupons were deployed at point-of-sale registers in 16 J.C. Penney stores in the Houston metro area.

Domino's and Caribou Coffee also added mobile coupons to their marketing mix last year, and direct mailer Valpak is bringing its brand of local offers to the iPhone.

Location-aware coupons, which allow retailers to deliver targeted mobile coupons or advertising based on customers' current locations, are starting to take off for retailers as well, but they're in the early stages. Diners, for example, can sign up at restaurant directory Restaurant Zoom to receive exclusive coupons and offers keyed to their geographic locations.

Better Customer Experiences
Many retailers are using mobile applications to improve the brand experience. Some, for example, are creating mobile sites that allow customers to access shipping information; look up addresses, store hours and product descriptions; and consult product reviews, all via their phones, potentially right in a brick-and-mortar store.

One interesting mobile application designed to make shopping easier for consumers comes from designer Norma Kamali. Shoppers can stand outside her boutique in New York City, point their phones at merchandise displayed in the window and buy it — even when the store's closed.

 

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